Editor:
Is it possible that four members of council really wish to tax a bunch of school girls simply for attending camp for a few days annually? The District offers no services to Camp Olave and the camp costs the District not one cent.
When the District collects taxes, it remits a portion to the province - currently about 59.5 per cent - on behalf of schools, hospital, etc. Where no taxes are collected, none are remitted, contrary to Coun. Thirkell's assertion to the delegation of Guides last Oct. 30 that council pays taxes on behalf of exempt properties.
However, if the Guides are taxed, 59.5 per cent of the tax goes to the province and only 41.5 per cent to the District. Is that worth all the hardship suffered by the Guides if they will be required to pay?
Four or five generations of girls have enjoyed Camp Olave in the past 80 odd years. Now council is jeopardizing the camp and may well deprive future generations of that simple pleasure.
I strongly urge council to revisit the exemption bylaw and amend it so as to restore full tax exemption to Camp Olave before it is too late.
Tom Wood, Sechelt
